Whitby Shows Great Endeavour

Regardless of the fact that Athletics Victoria was staging the 10km championships around Albert Park on Sunday, the real tough and hardy 10km runners ventured to Woodlands Park in Greenvale to slog out the finish of the Independent Signs 10km Handicap. Anthony Whitby handled the rugged “out and back” course best to record his first VCCL win by the biggest margin of the season to date. Anthony raced away over the final stages to win by fifty three seconds from backmarker Robert Eppinger and novice runner Brock Ellett. Whitby, in his second season with the VCCL has been troubled by injuries at various stages in both seasons but showed a win was at hand with a top ten finish the previous week at Westgate.

The co-backmarkers Eppinger and Matthew Sullivan had a solid battle as they raced their way through the field with Robert Eppinger having ten seconds to spare over the fourth placed Sullivan. Andrew Lane was once again in the finish with his fifth placing, his eighth top ten finish for the season. Leon Brooks has returned to his consistent 2014 form to finish sixth, just ahead of Tony Moran. First year runner Matthew Barker produced his best run to date to pass Mark Beavis in the final few metres of the event to finish eighth. Corina Kapusta, the first and fastest of the females, was tenth with a time of 39:57. The novice award went to Stephen Menzies with a time of 39:21.

This Sunday is a rest day for the VCCL but on Sunday 12th of July we conduct the second running of the Myrniong 6.5km Handicap. Myrniong is an ideal spot for a cross country event and all members are assured of ideal facilities and a great day. Directions: take the Western Freeway and exit at the Greendale/Pykes Creek/Blackwood/Trentham (C318) turn off. Head south onto Garrards Lane and continue for about 3km until you reach the YMCA Lake Dewar Lodge gate on the left.